2012-01-12

Andrew Muir

Environmentalist and Social Entrepreneur

Dr Andrew Muir is one of South Africa’s most influential conservationists and social entrepreneurs. He has been nationally and internationally recognised for his success in integrating conservation programmes with social and development interventions. Andrew was mentored by conservation icon Dr Ian Player and extended his legacy in the management of the various organisations that he founded in South Africa, including the world famous Wilderness Leadership School and Wilderness Foundation. Andrew has a Master’s Degree in Environment and Development and a honorary Doctorate in Social Science from the University of Kwa Zulu Natal. He serves on a number of non-profit and conservation boards both in South Africa and abroad. When not working, Andrew enjoys wild landscapes, reading and walking and most importantly quality time with his wife and children who are also engaged in the various causes he supports.

Professional details

Current Position(s)

Andrew Muir is on the board of the school as an environmental advisor. The school provides a portfolio of management and leadership development programmes to empower and enhance working individuals, leaders and the human resources of stakeholders in staff and organizational development functions.

(CCN): Andrew Muir represents the Wilderness Foundation as a partner of the CCN. The Council aims to bridge the gap between the public and private sectors to promote an effective long-term approach to natural resource management worldwide

Andrew Muir is a board member, and former deputy chairperson of the EC Parks and Tourism Agency. He has been involved in the organisation since its inception, and is the longest serving board member. The board acts as a tourism facilitator for the province and oversees 22 local reserves including the environmentally significant Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve, the Great Fish River Nature Reserve and Mkambati Nature Reserve.

The goal of Umzi Wethu is to fulfil the employability potential of resilient, motivated youth displaced by HIV/AIDS and poverty by using the power of the wilderness, promoting personal wellness in a nurturing home context, providing credible training, and securing sustainable job placements in hospitality and eco-tourism establishments - while extending the program's social outreach to others.

Andrew Muir has been the CEO / Executive Director of the Wilderness Foundation since 2000. The WF believes in the power of the wilderness to dissolve ethnic and economic inequalities and forge one path toward social and environmental sustainability.

Andrew Muir is on the board for Usiko, a Cape Town based organisation focussing on Rights of Passage for youth at risk. It was founded in 1996 by Andrew Muir and Dr Don Pinnock. The organisation aims to influence the youth by taking them through rites of passage programmes, giving them both the confidence and skills to become leaders in their communities.

Imbewu aims to introduce disadvantaged senior scholars to their natural and cultural heritage through a four day wilderness excursion in selected South African national parks including: the Kruger National Park, the Tsitsikamma National Park, the Addo Elephant National Park, the Namaqua National Park and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Achievements

Awards

Executive director of the Wilderness Foundation, Andrew Muir was one of five leading innovators named as the Social Entrepreneurs of the Year 2012 Africa by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Thursday, May 10, 2012.

Environmentalist of the Year; SAB | The EP Herald | 2007

media exposure

Some of the world’s most important habitats, South Africa’s wildernesses are under threat from the expansion of human populations. At the same time, that growing and young population is struggling to find gainful employment and escape the cycle of poverty.

Two South Africans take African social entrepreneur prizes
South Africans Paul Matthew and Andrew Muir and their organisations were two of the recipients of the African Social Entrepreneur of the Year awards at the World Economic Forum on Africa held in Ethiopia last month.

Africa's social change champions
Wilma den Hartigh
Africa's five leading social entrepreneurs for 2012 have been announced at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa, underway in Ethiopia.
Two South Africans, Paul Matthew and Andrew Muir, are among the winners who have applied their entrepreneurial savvy to promote transformation and find creative solutions to challenges facing the country.

Volkswagen is the first vehicle manufacturer in South Africa to subscribe to Wilderness Foundation’s GreenLeaf Environmental Standards. As such, the Uitenhage plant will be measured against the following standards: carbon footprint replacement, water and energy efficiency, waste management and environmental responsibility, including employee awareness and training.

Young adults trained in workplace skills.
Eleven young adults completed the inaugural Umzi Wethu Livelihoods Programme on October 6. The programme is one of the Wilderness Foundation’s social intervention projects aimed at the youth of the Eastern Cape and will benefit up to 300 job seekers per year.

Protect our rhinos: What YOU can do.
It is crucial that the petition conveys a powerful message to international authorities. “We need as many signatures as possible to highlight the severity of the issue, and thus secure the full weight of support from the US in joining the fight to save the rhino,” says Muir.

Wilderness Foundation aiming for 10 000 Signatures on “Save the Rhinos” petition.
In recognition of World Rhino Day on Thursday, September 22, the Wilderness Foundation hopes to reach the “10,000 names” benchmark on its international Save the Rhinos petition (www.wildernessfoundation.co.za/savetherhinos/).

Volkswagen Amarok drives the Rhino Protection Initiative.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles today announced the sponsorship of six Volkswagen Amarok bakkies to the Rhino Protection Initiative at a media conference held at the Johannesburg Zoo. The R2-million sponsorship is part of the partnership between Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and the Wilderness Foundation, the pioneers and administrators of the Forever Wild Rhino Protection Initiative.

Wilderness Foundation nominated as a finalist in the Social entrepreneur category for the 2011 Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Awards Programme.

Activities

Memberships

Wilderness Network

Member

Together the Wilderness Foundation, Wilderness Foundation UK, Wilderness Foundation Germany, Wilderness Leadership School and Wild Foundation USA form the Wilderness Network. The Network is represented at the World Wilderness Congress every four years.

Andrew Muir represents the Wilderness Foundation as a partner of the ICCF. The ICCF aims to achieve global conservation solutions by uniting corporate leaders, NGOs and policymakers.

Herald Citizen of the Year awards

Judge and award winner, 2007 - 2011

Andrew Muir has been a judge of the Herald Citizen of the Year awards for the past four years. He is specifically involved in evaluating the tourism and environmental categories of the event. The Herald GM Citizen of the Year identifies and honours the activities of exceptional individuals whose service or performance positively contributes to the quality of life in Nelson Mandela Bay.

Andrew Muir is the chairman of the Oliver Foundation in South Africa. The Oliver Foundation is committed to creating a meaningful and sustainable impact in under-resourced communities, primarily in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, focusing on empowering disadvantaged and vulnerable people to create personal self-sustainability.

community

Andrew Muir is on the board for Usiko, a Cape Town based organisation focussing on Rights of Passage for youth at risk. It was founded in 1996 by Andrew Muir and Dr Don Pinnock. The organisation aims to influence the youth by taking them through rites of passage programmes, giving them both the confidence and skills to become leaders in their communities.